A July 13 Page One obituary of Dr. Michael DeBakey incorrectly said he established what became the Veterans Affairs hospital system. Dr. DeBakey's work led to the establishment of the modern VA's hospital research system and medical research program.
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Pioneering Heart Surgeon
Michael DeBakey, center, was an influential surgeon who performed the first successful heart bypass operation. DeBakey stopped performing surgery at age 90, after more than 60,000 operations spanning a 70-year medical career.
(1967 Photo By Associated Press)
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Late in his career, Dr. DeBakey argued that improvements in cardiovascular care of humans could not have occurred without medical research on animals.
"So to stop animal research, you see, is, I think, a way of saying, 'Well, I don't care about any future advances in medicine. Let people suffer,' " he said. "I can't accept that kind of philosophy. I don't think that's humane either."
Throughout his career, he published more than 1,600 articles and several books, including "The Living Heart" (1977) and the best-selling "The Living Heart Diet" (1984).
Among his many awards were the 1987 National Medal of Science and the 1969 Presidential Medal of Freedom. He was cited in 2000 as a "living legend" by the Library of Congress.
He was a member of Cosmos Club, Federal City Club and University Club in Washington.
Dr. DeBakey's first wife, Diana Cooper DeBakey, died of a heart attack in 1972. Dr. DeBakey, who had been performing cardiac surgery at the time, rushed to his wife's bedside but could not save her life. Two of their sons, Ernest and Barry DeBakey, preceded him in death.
Survivors include his wife of 33 years, German film actress Katrin Fehlhaber; their daughter, Olga-Katarina DeBakey; and two sons from his first marriage, Michael DeBakey Jr. and Denis DeBakey.
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